<p>i'm an applied math major considering doing aerospace engineering as a career. i will most likely go to grad school but am uncertain about it</p>
<p>should i do research, such as an REU this summer, or try to find an internship this summer?
or, should i do research this spring and then an internship this summer?</p>
<p>i'm currently a junior</p>
<p>An internship is a great path into a job. My rule of thumb has always been always go for experience related to what you want to do. An internship in aerospace engineering will be more benefitial than research in my opinion. Basically because if you intern for a company and perform well they usually offer you a job upon graduation.</p>
<p>I would do an internship while you're an undergraduate and if you go to graduate school, then do research while you're a grad student. If you don't end up going to grad school, research as an undergrad won't be as valuable since very few people with bachelors get hired into research positions in the industry. Even if you're certain you are going to grad school, i would still do an internship as an undergraduate. It's always valuable to have experience in the industry if you ever plan on working there.</p>
<p>If you do research during the Spring, would you be able to take classes? If so, you should do research in the Spring and do an internship in the summer. That way, you'll get both.</p>
<p>thanks for the advice guys</p>
<p>i also forgot to mention that i've applied to about ~75-100 different positions for an internship this summer and have gotten back NO replies of any sort so far. probably since i havent really done many ECs, have only done lab experience in my freshman physics courses, and my only work experience is working at Target, Ralph's, etc</p>
<p>I wouldn't let that discourage you, pretty much everybody was in the same position, experience wise, when they got their first internship. As far as not hearing back, that is very typical, you have follow up with them.</p>
<p>
[quote]
thanks for the advice guys</p>
<p>i also forgot to mention that i've applied to about ~75-100 different positions for an internship this summer and have gotten back NO replies of any sort so far. probably since i havent really done many ECs, have only done lab experience in my freshman physics courses, and my only work experience is working at Target, Ralph's, etc
[/quote]
I'm in the same situation, but I'm a sophomore though.</p>
<p>75-100???
WOW</p>
<p>Try to work on your Resume and Cover Letter.
Also NETWORK with your friends, professors and professionals.
Join professional organization such as ASME or AIChE.</p>
<p>I got an internship at GE last year through my AIChE advisor.</p>
<p>do i really need a cover letter? most of the companies i've applied to only require a resume</p>
<p>would my professors know? they are in applied math, not engineering</p>
<p>ASME? can you join if you're applied math major?</p>
<p>if you want to be a acedemic then do research, otherwise go for the internship.</p>
<p>what if i plan on doing R&D for a company, like Boeing, etc?</p>
<p>is applying 100+ positions and not getting any replies really that troubling?</p>
<p>Wow, 75-100 places... I thought my list of 23 would be fine...</p>
<p>Anyway, most programs don't require past research experience. You have to show interest in whichever topic you are applying to, therefore, spend a lot of time on cover letters and/or statement of purposes since that's the only way potential mentors will learn more about you (as ryan_kidz said). Also, contacting mentors and thanking them for considering you won't hurt you your chances at all.</p>
<p>well not 75-100 places, but positions total, as i applied to over 50 or so positions at some companies and only a few at some other ones</p>
<p>i forgot to mention, i actually have research experience as i did an REU in physics last summer</p>
<p>what do you mean no replies? like no inteviews? I've applied to about 40 places with 1 interview. The other places said i should contact them in the spring. Are the companies even doing that for you?</p>
<p>I'm in the same boat as the OP. A lot of the companies are saying that they received many qualified candidates, reviewed my resume, but could not continue the process with me. :(</p>
<p>no replies as in right after i submit my resume and application, i just get a confirmation email and then i never hear from them again, unless its an email saying that the position has been filled</p>
<p>yes, no interviews either. none of them have mentioned that i should contact them again later</p>
<p>I dont like the idea of applying online. Ive done it a few times and have had bad results. id rather call in, or meet somebody internally. Only around 15% or so of jobs are actually gotten via the application process. The vast majority of new employees comes from referrals anyway. </p>
<p>If you apply online, wait a day and call the HR department and inquire. Ive actually never been hired by not calling back myself or by not being hired on the spot. Ive never gotten the call back.</p>
<p>is it really that complicated, even to get an internship? man this is frustrating.</p>
<p>it makes applying for my REU last summer seem like a cake walk</p>
<p>have you tried calling companies first? I'm in a similar position to you. I'm a junior but from enve eng. What do you write in your emails to the companies? I used to attach my resume with my initial email but now i ask if they have any summer positions available. If they do, i would then write my cover letter to them. </p>
<p>Do you do big companies or small ones? </p>
<p>I also found that if you email companies and they don't reply, if you try again in a month or so saying you never got a reply they're more likely to respond.</p>
<p>I don't know, I'm just a junior so I'm not really in a position to give advice, in fact i could use some haha. But i'm just sharing my experiences.</p>
<p>Yes, you really should have a cover letter. It's your opportunity to sell yourself to potential employers. Make it known why you want to work for them and why you're the perfect candidate. Express your interest! Otherwise, they might just throw your resume into the pile and may not see the light of day again.</p>